New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-19
Il HARD STRUGGLE WITH FORTUNE.


| SHOP.
Millionares are probably not thick in the neigh
borhood OF Chrystie and Hester SITS. as are Polish
counts and other distinguished foreigners, and
therefore the quarter is not little proud that used
| tO-bc-mionare should have taken up his residence
in it, This is John Koch, we'll remembered by New
| Workers who like music with thoir beer the pro-
prietor of tho old Central Park Garden and the Ter
race Garden adj acent in Eighhaye. At that time he
was man OF consequence and was reputed to he
worth a couple of millions so he is running
| little beer-shop the CT Hester and
| Chrystie II was here that something was CLEANED
| OF bis remarkable history. Now in charge of his
barroo. IL OF about thiry-nve, and strikn ely
handsome. His thick black hair is brushed straight
| from his forehead. and across his strong brown
face on the lett there is a broad sabre scar-perhaps
"Reminiscences Of friendly cavalry at the riding
school OF Saumur
Are Won Mr. Koch ~ he asked the other lay.
M sir, my name is Dumas" he replied. with a
strong French accent. Mr.. Koch is at Scranton
where he will have sort of Gabe Case road
house. lie will return probably in few days"
Over few glasses OF beer at the back of the
shop Mr. Dumas asked to tell what he knew
of Mr.. Koch, whom no evdeLtly believed to be
of the biggcst-braiued aud best-beaitcd on
earth, and whose biography, he said, had once been
printed. several columns in length in Paris paper.
" That when he married Colonel Mapleson's
prima DONNA Miss Rosswg. Her father is jewellci
IN Maiden lane You remember it ! No we'll it is
some years ago now when Mr.. Koch was very rich"
"And you You bear at least dsting pushed
name" When one came to look at him again there
was really resemblance to those features which
figure as vigne to OF the author in of the
works OF the great French writer. Yet here he was,
a A." beerslnger" in a Chrvste Street taproom.
=" Yes have been rich, Aud like Mr. Koch, I
hope Re rich yet again for this is great country
to grow rich in. No; am not OF the family OF the
great Alexandra Dumas. You know, in France there
are two families OF Dumas-that OF the writer and
that of Charles the great chemist. The latter is my
family.
- Bat about Mr.. Koch; you want to hear of him.
Well he came here about thirty years ago He
was born In Lorraine but his family moved 10 Metz
when he was "a boy. When he emlgrated TO this
country. he came over in the steerase and somehow
got TO Scranton in Pennsylvania, wnere he is now.
lie get work there, saved his money and after time
started little restaurant.
Business was good, and all the money he made he
bought land with. Scranton was then only htIle
village but when it grew.up he sold his land at big
profit and bought more. Then as the CITY began to
spread he found himself rich out OF these Land speeu
lations-n few years. He sent home for bis brothers
out-siX of them. believe there are. All OF
them have dole well. One is now president OF a
Scranton bank and some of them in New-iork-al
mell-tO-dO
We'll. he decided to leave Scranton and como to
New-iork lie sold his property there for 100000.
and he gave each of his brothers 1000 10 start him
with. He started the Central Park Garden on big
scale and it ran well Tor a tine. Then he opened
the Terrace Garden, sort OF opposition To himself
and as a place which the Hebrews would probably
patroDze WELL they mad no good place IN New
York then 10 60 to- On, he had the finest music and
singers and everything but the management was bad
Walters and everybody connected with the place
were all for themselves. and Mr.. Koch was cheated
at every turn But he had money at the time for hc
paid S2il 900 Tor the Germania assembly Rooms in
the Bowery.
However, bad luck pursued him in everything
and he lost all his money Then he went 10 Paris.
lie was somewhat dOwn-hcarted then, but lie went
bsc. to his old job as waiter and after time man.
IL tart liz on BDlllO
Sebastopol. Later he became sort OF manager or
agent for Theodore Thomas and went with him
over Europe and TO England think he also was
What is called griLroom You pick out your chop
or steak paying tor il meat, and thea II IL cooked
Tor YOU ior penny extra. lie did tbatdid the cook
ins aud the waiting all himself, and made money.
{" One dag ne met doctor All American, who had
some mnos here that worth Millions. He per
suaded Koch 10 go in, and Koch went in He paid
the passage money for the doctor and his family,
and the, came over 10 Nsw-YoTk. The secoad day
after they landed the doctor disappeared with all
Mr. Koch's money. But he managed 10 raise some
and 70 t,ke bar-room on lhrdave. near Fourteenth
While there he started Sands Point which was oppo
site TO and in opposition to Glen Island lie sank
there all tho money he could raise IL would have
been a great success, but Mr. Harper, the publisher
enjoned him from using the boat landing. They had
three trials of the case. each costing lots oil money
aud now he has "A clam In tho courts against ar
Harper tor 800 900 damages.
- After that he managed to get this place, and tor
whole wear he cleaned IL himself every day and did
everything. He is wonderfully fine man, genius
sir. but manager"
Having concluded his story OF Mr. Koch, wonder
full career Dumas mOdestly referred to bis own. But
this was smrly record of the prodigalities OF youth
reminding one here aud there OF Arsene lloussayes
little book Les Femmcs du Diable,' and was not
nearly 90 interesting the honest struggles for Tor
tune OF John Koch.